Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game is disclosed having a board with marked spaces or areas constituting a path of progression about the board. A portion of the spaces are designated for various property locations such as particular gambling hotels, restaurants, and the like. Spaces are also designated for certain reward/penalty spaces, such as &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Pass,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Don&#39;&#39;t Pass,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Income Tax,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Go To Jail,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Jail, &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Vigorish,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Airport,&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and the like. Playing pieces are provided with one piece representing each player, and chance taking apparatus, such as dice, determine the movement of each piece about the board. The game further includes a medium of payment, such as token money, and ownership indicators, such as title cards, for properties that may be purchased. Additional chance taking apparatus, such as cards, a roulette wheel, or the like, are provided to determine the payments from a player whose playing piece at the end of a particular cycle of movement comes to rest on a particular location. The amounts of such payments are controlled by chance taking limits set forth at each such location and further by the choice of the players and whether or not another player has ownership rights in the particular location.

[ June 17, 1975 United States Patent 1 Malisow I BOARD GAME APPARATUS [57] ABSTRACT A game is disclosed having a board with marked Inventor: Jack T. Malisow, Minneapolis,

Minn.

[73] Assignee: Research & Development,

Minneapolis, Minn.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 331,605

n Go To Dont Pass, Income Tax, Jail, Vigorish, Airport," and the like.

Playing pieces are provided with one piece representing each player, and chance taking apparatus, such as 04 mm 33w H3 B 2 D 4 m 3 n H m 3 u 7 u 2 u C 4 n 3 U 1" n b 2 c r u a H e. n S l C s k UMF m m 555 dice, determine the movement of each piece about the board. The game further includes a medium of payment, such as token money, and ownership indicators, such as title cards, for properties that may be pur- 273/134 AD chased. Additional chance taking apparatus, such as cards, a roulette wheel, or the like, are provided to determine the payments from a player whose playing 273/134 AD piece at the end of a particular cycle of movement comes to rest on a particular location. The amounts of such payments are controlled by chance taking limits set forth at each such location and further by the choice of the players and whether or not another player has ownership rights in the particular location.

DC AA 44 33 11 33 77 22 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,082 12/1935 Darrow....................,... 2,976,044 3/1961 Corpening.... 3,362,715 1/1968 Hartpence.... 3,759,520 9/1973 Straitwell FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,243,017 8/1960 France............................ 273/134 C 915,550 l/l963 United Kingdom.......... 273/134 AC Delbert B. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bruce A. Nemer; Nickolas E. Westman 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures OGZLOSZQ Bi 2139.!

Primary Examiner I 52135 -6 nun-5M asrzhs-m I a, 5 m m N w m a w 1 D m @mmvw mm fi a a we 5 HBQN 2 M j 2212:. O6 2.6 Tw n Z F MD a M @d klfiutl gags 238 r 0 s1 3 no Q 2 w a.

WENTEIT) JUN 17 I973 251 8 89 ,954 SHEET 2 FREMONT HORSESHDE MINT PLAZA 1800 s 1700 1700 s 2600 BET= -700 BET: $50- 500 BET: $50 4 500 BET: $500-1500 SAHARA SANDS RDYALLASVBGM LANDMARK H1 LT UN BETr$20D-1000 BET= 5250-1200 BETI $200-1000 BET: $200-1000 BET: $-80-O BET1$4OO-2OOO FLAMINGO ALLADSN BONANZA FRONTIER. DUNES $2400 $2000 2000 $2400 $2600 BET: $250-IZOO BET: $100'80 BET: $100800 BET: 6 250 -12OO BET= $30 -15OO TROPIGANA RIWE RA THUNDERBIRD CIRCUS 6M8 STARDUST BET: $200 -1000 BET: $300'l500 BET: 900 BET: $100 '800 BET= $150-$300 102 in 0 g 11m nszo g3 g snacuuomssa J58 ----s170o $1700 151 J40 -GOLLECT-$30O mum-$300 56 TITLE DEED I 555W M031 J54- 1700 1700\ 158 W (-455 nouzcr $300 COLLECT $30o-- 140 BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to a board game and more particularly to a board game including purchase and chance.

With the increasing amounts of leisure time available to persons generally in modern society, an increasing need has been felt for amusement devices to occupy such leisure time. A selected class of such amusement devices has been generally favored as providing substantially nonrepetitive play, requiring logic and intelligent decision making during play, and generally maintaining a high degree of interest for an extended period of time. Board games are within this selected class.

The present invention provides such a board game.

SUMMARY A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a game board with marked spaces and areas constituting a path of progression about the board. A majority of the spaces are designated for various real estate property locations, such as gambling hotels, and restaurants. A plurality of cards are also provided, each card uniquely indicating the ownership of a particular hotel or restaurant. The remaining spaces are designated for certain reward/penalty functions which may not be owned.

Playing pieces are further provided with one piece uniquely representing or being associated with each player. Dice are provided as a first chance taking apparatus to determine the movement of each players playing piece along the progression of spaces on the board, and cards, a roulette wheel, the dice, and the various individual reward/penalty cards are also included to determine penalities, payments, or benefits to be accrued to a player whose playing piece comes to rest upon a particular location, whether that location is associated with a location which may be owned or is a reward/penalty location.

Token money is also provided so that a player whose playing piece comes to rest upon a particular hotel or restaurant may, if it is not previously owned, purchase ownership rights to that location upon the game board. The token money is further used as a medium of complying with the rewards or penalties dictated by cards associated with the reward/penalty locations upon the game board and also for payments required by the bank or the owners of various locations should the playing piece of a nonowning player come to rest upon a location which may be owned.

In the event the playing piece of a player comes to rest upon a hotel or restaurant, a payment must be made either to a central banking authority for the game or to the owning player. The player whose piece so comes to rest may thus be forced to bet an amount within limits stated at the particular location upon the results of chance taking apparatus to be determined by the betting player and at odds determined by the ownership rights of the particular locations.

It is, thus, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel board game apparatus.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such apparatus for allowing the play of a board game including purchase and chance.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a game board according to the present invention, including plan and perspective views of various of the remaining apparatus necessary for play of the board game of the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 represent cards indicating ownership in various of the locations upon the game board of FIG. 1.

Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. F urthermore, when the terms right, left, back, front, vertical, horizontal, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the present invention.

In FIG. 1, agame board 10 useful in using the board game apparatus of the present invention is shown. Game board 10 includes a plurality of marked spaces, locations, or areas constituting a path of progression about board 10, which path is generally designated 12. In particular, path 12 includes locations 14 to 49 arranged sequentially and continuously to form a border around the outer edge of board 10 and enclose a cen tral portion 50. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the path need not be so arranged but may be any path in any arrangement about the board. A path arranged about the border of the board is deemed preferred, however.

Within central portion 50 of board 10, first chance taking apparatus or dice 52 are shown. Additional chance taking apparatus are also shown within portion 50 in the form of conventional roulette apparatus, generally designated 54, and including a conventional roulette wheel 56, shown in perspective for visual purposes, and a conventional roulette playing board 58. Chance taking apparatus in the form of conventional playing cards, designated 60, are also arranged within central portion 50 as is a location, designated 62, arranged to receive money 98 for the purposes further explained hereinafter.

Also within central portion 50 of board 10 are stacks of reward/penalty cards in the form of cards 64 designated Pass cards and cards 66 designated Dont Pass cards. Cards 64 and 66 are arranged face down in the position indicated and each set includes 24 individually imprinted cards.

In the preferred embodiment the legends on the twenty-four Pass cards 64 are:

YOU HIT THE JACKPOT ON THE 10 CENTS SLOT MACHINE AT THE LANDMARK GO THERE YOU WIN $100! AN EYE-WITNESS CLEARS YOU OF ALL CHARGES GET OUT OF JAIL PASS! YOU HAVE MADE 5 STRAIGHT PASSES SHOOTING CRAPS, A HIGH-ROLLER TIPS YOU $150! GO TO THE BAGDAD ROOM AT THE ALLADIN AND SEE THE SHOW, COMPLIMENTS OF THE HOUSE. COLLECT RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE AIRPORT YOUR LOST LUGGAGE HAS BEEN FOUND.

COLLECT $200! YOUR BAIL HAS BEEN PAID GET OUT OF JAIL PASS! YOU HAVE WON THE KENO JACKPOT AT THE GOLDEN NUGGET, COLLECT $200 GO THERE. HOW ABOUT THAT! YOUR FOOTBALL PARLAY COMES IN FROM CHURCHILL DOWNS. CONGRATS, COLLECT $275! YOU WON DINNER FOR TWO AT THE FOLLIES BERGERE. COLLECT $200! YOUR HOTEL BILL HAS BEEN PAID COMPLI- MENTS OF THE HOUSE COLLECT $200! YOU HIT THE JACKPOT ON THE 50 CENTS SLOT MACHINE AT THE HORSESHOE YOU WIN $200 (GO THERE & COLLECT)! YOU WIN $200 AT THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE AT THE TROPICANA GO THERE & COL- LECT! YOU WIN A SMALL KENO JACKPOT AT THE MINT GO THERE AND COLLECT $85! YOU HIT THE JACKPOT ON THE $1 SLOT MA- CHINE AT THE PLAZA. COLLECT $250 YOURE HOT! GO THERE I PICK UP ALL THE MONEY AT THE TOP OF THE STRIP! YOUR DINNER BILL HAS BEEN PAID AT CIR- CUS MAXIMUS COMPLIMENTS OF CAESARS. GO THERE AND COLLECT $175! YOU WIN $250 AT BACCARAT IN CIRCUS CIR- CUS NOW THATS LUCK! GO THERE & COLLECT.

YOU HIT THE .IACKPOT AT THE NICKEL SLOT MACHINE AT THE HOTEL FREMONT. YOU WIN $50! GO THERE.

YOU WIN AT THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE IN BONANZA GO THERE. YOU ARE NOW $100 RICHER. COLLECT IT! YOU WIN $500 PLAYING BACCARAT. WHEN YOU RE HOT YOURE HOT! THE PLAYER ON YOUR LEFT HAS FOUND YOUR LOST TRAVELERS CHECKS. SPLIT $200 WITH HIM AND BE SURE TO THANK HIM! A FREE DINNER, COMPLIMENTS OF THE NEXT RESTAURANT YOU LAND ON! (DO NOT PAY $300) YOU HAVE JUST BEEN GIVEN $300 IN CHIPS COMPLIMENTS OF THE SAHARA! (GO THERE & COLLECT) YOU HIT THE JACKPOT ON THE 25 CENTS SLOT MACHINE AT THE THUNDERBIRD YOU WIN $150! GO THERE & COLLECT.

Similarly, the preferred legends on the twenty-four Dont Pass cards 66 are:

YOUR BILL AT THE CONGO ROOM IS $125. GO

TO THE SAHARA AND PAY IT! YOUVE BEEN DEALT 3 STRAIGHT BLACK- JACKS AT THE FLAMINGO. YOU TIP THE DEALER $200, PAY THE HOTEL! AND GO THERE YOURE CALLED HOME ON BUSINESS YOUR PLANE TICKET COSTS $150 PAY IT! PAY YOUR TAB AT THE TOP OF THE STRIP.

MATCH THE AMOUNT THERE! EXCURSION RATES FOR THE HOOVER DAM TOUR" ARE BILLED TO YOU. PAY

OH, OH. YOUVE LOST THE REST OF YOUR TRAVELERS CHECKS. PAY $325! YOU ORDERED LUNCH FOR YOURSELF AND GUESTS OUT AT THE SWIMMING POOL. PAY $7 5 YOU LOSE $350 AT THE WHEEL OF FOR- TUNE WHAT KIND OF LUCK IS THAT? YOUR TAB AT THE SINGING SWORD LOUNGE SHOW IS PAY THE ROYAL LAS VEGAS!(AND GO THERE) YOURE SUCH A BIG SPORT YOU BUY A ROUND OF DRINKS FOR EVERYONE AT THE BAR. PAY $200! YOUR DINNER TAB AT THE CIRCLE-F 18 $125. GO DIRECTLY TO THE FRONTIER AND PAY IT! YOUR BILL AT THE CASINDE de PARIS IS GO TO THE DUNES AND PAY IT! YOU BETTER QUIT WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD. YOU HAVE JUST LOST $425 AT BACCARAT! YOUR HOTEL BILL FOR ONE WEEK STAY IS $400. WE TRUST YOU DID ENJOY YOUR- SELF. PAY IT NOW! YOU HAVE RUN OUT OF CREDIT RETURN TO THE AIRPORT BUT DONT COLLECT $200! YOUR QUICKIE MARRIAGE IS ANNULLED. PAY $125 TO THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR SERVICES UNRENDERED! YOUVE BEEN STUCK WITH THE CHECK AT VERSAILLES THEATRE. GO TO THE RIVIERA AND PAY $125! PAY THE NEVADA STATE INCOME TAX $185! YOU CERTAINLY HAVE ENJOYED THE DIN- NER-SHOW AT THE LIDO de PARIS. THE BILL IS GO TO & PAY THE STARDUST! NO LUCK. YOU LOSE $275 AT CRAPS PAY THE HILTON! AND GO THERE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LUCK? YOU LOSE $500 AT BACCARAT! YOU HAVE JUST PUT $225 IN THE $1 SLOT MA- CHINE PAY THE SANDS! (AND GO THERE.)

ANOTHER LOSS. THIS TIME PAY $75 TO THE DESERT INN AND DONT PLAY KENO AGAIN. (GO TO THE DESERT INN!) YOURE OUT OF LUCK GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL! At two locations about the edge of board 10, two piles of token money, generally designated 68 and 70, are shown with one pile associated with each of the two players indicated as using the board game apparatus 10 of the present invention. Each of the players has sorted the tokens into individual piles by denominations such that money 68 includes piles 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80 of denominations of $5, $20, $50, $100, and $1000. Further, pile 70 is similarly sorted into denominations indicated as 82, 84, 86, 88, and 90. While specific denominations are shown, it will immediately be realized by those skilled in the art that no limitation to the precise values given is intended. Fewer denominations or more denominations may be used, if desired.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are a plurality of individual playing pieces, generally designated 92, shown as situated adjacent location 14. Pieces 92 include separate player pieces 94 and 96, which may be items specifically related to the rules of the game, such as differently colored miniature slot machines, or other pieces which can be separately identified.

The locations of FIG. 1 are divided into particular classes including possessory locations which comprise real estate locations such as hotels and restaurants which may be owned by a particular player and reward/penalty locations which comprise such locations as Pass," Dont Pass, Vigorish, Income Tax, Go To Jail, Jail, Top Of The Strip, and Airport which may not be owned.

Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the possessory locations includes hotels designated l5, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 33, 35, 36, 38, 40,42, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49. As shown in FIG. 1 in the preferred embodiment, the restaurants include locations 21, 26, 39, and 47. The reward/penalty locations include the Pass" locations 30 and 43, the Dont Pass" locations and 37, the Vigorish location designated 16, the Income Tax location designated 34, the Go To Jail location designated 41, the Jail location designated 23 and the Airport" location designated 14. Notice that the reward/penalty locations designated Pass and Dont Pass are associated with the cards 64 and 66 designating the reward or penalty as indicated above and explained hereinafter.

Each real estate possessory location has an associated indicia of ownership or title card and these cards are generally represented in FIG. 2 as cards 102 arranged in rows as they appear on the edges of board 10. Cards 102 include specific title cards 104 to 125, inclusive. As specifically designated on cards 104 and 124, each real estate title card 102 includes; a name, designated 126; a cost, designated 128; and a bet, designated 130, for purposes hereinafter explained. Thus, with respect to card 104, the name 126 is indicated as Golden Nugget," the cost 128 is indicated as $1700," and the bet 130 is indicated as Bet $50 500.

Similarly, FIG. 3 shows the restaurant cards generally designated 131 as specifically including cards 132 to 135, inclusive, representing the one restaurant located on each edge of board 10. As specifically designated on cards 132 and 135, each restaurant card includes: a name, designated 136; a cost, designated 138; and an indication of payment, designated 140. Thus, for example, the restaurant card designated 132 indicates a name 136 of Foxys," a cost of $1700," and a payment 140 indicated as Collect-$300.

OPERATION The object of the game apparatus of the present invention is to allow the play of a board game including purchase and chance where tokens representing individual players progress about a path on a board in a repetitive and cyclical manner depending upon a chance taking apparatus, in this case the throw of dice. Each player begins with a given amount of token money in his possession, progression about the board allows various transactions to occur which can increase or decrease the amount of token money in the possession of each player, and the object of the game is for one player to come into possession of all of the token money of all other players of the game and thus be the only player possessing token money.

More specifically, the total amount of money, such as money 68 and 70 shown in FIG. I, originally is in the possession of the bank, i.e., a neutral repository unattached to any player. For convenience, one of the players may be selected as the representative of the bank and handle all transactions in the name of the bank. When operating in this capacity, the player selected must function in a neutral capacity. The role of the banks representative may further be delegated to various of the players at various times of the game.

Each player is then given an initial amount of money by the bank. In the preferred embodiment, $10,000 is allotted each player, and this money is represented by the piles 68 and 70 shown in FIG. 1. It will be realized that while the game is indicated as played by two persons in the present description, no limitationto this number is intended. Since the game is competitive, the minimum number is two; however, the maximum number must be determined by the tastes of the various players.

Each player is also assigned a playing piece, such as the playing pieces 92 shown in FIG. 1. Each playing piece is then placed on an initial location, in the preferred embodiment a location designated Airport 14 in FIG. 1, and the game is begun with each player rolling dice 52 to determine the starting player. In the preferred embodiment, the player obtaining the highest number on the dice begins play followed by the remaining players in clockwise order.

The first player, assumed for the purposes of this description to have been assigned playing piece 94, then begins play by again rolling dice 52 and moving his playing piece 94 the number of squares indicated by the vertically facing dots on the dice, as conventional. For example, the dice 52 shown in FIG. 1 have three vertically upraised dots, and thus playing piece 94 would be moved across locations 15 and 16 and come to rest upon location 17 designated Hotel Fremont.

Since location 17 is a possessory location, the first player then has the option of purchasing possessory rights to this location from the bank, initially deemed to be the owner of all possessory locations, since this location is not yet owned by another player, or gambling with the bank for landing rights on this location 17. The betting rules of the game of the present invention will be discussed further hereafter.

Upon purchasing a particular location by paying an amount to the bank, the player is given a title card 102 such as are shown in FIG. 2. For example, if the first player purchases rights to location 17, he must pay the amount of $1800 indicated at 128 on title card 105, and he is given title card 105 for the Hotel Fremont by the bank. The purchasing player is now considered the owner of this location for the remainder of the game, unless he sells the location as discussed below.

The second player then rolls the dice, in turn, and moves an appropriate number of spaces or locations. Assume, for the sake of description, that the number 7 appears on dice 52. The second player then moves playing piece 92 seven squares which would require playing piece 92 to come to rest, end a turn, or land on location 21, which is further a possessory location designated Foxys Restaurant.

Upon landing upon a restaurant, the landing player may also purchase a possessory interest and obtain a title card, such as is illustrated in FIG. 3, by the payment of an amount designated, in the case of location 21 the amount 138 designated upon title card 132 as $1700. In the event the landing player does not wish to purchase rights to restaurant location 21, he must pay the amount of $300 indicated at 140 upon location 21, and upon title card 132, and proceed. Similarly, as indicated at 140 upon title card 132, a nonpossessing player landing upon location 21 must pay the possessing player an amount of $300.

Since it is assumed that only two players are using the game apparatus 10 of the present invention, a cycle of play has been completed, and the first player to throw the dice to indicate the number of locations to be moved by his playing piece again does so. The game continues in this manner until one player has accrued all of the token money not possessed by the bank.

It will now be realized that various other of the locations 14-49 may at times be landed upon by one or more of the playing pieces 92. For example, after traversing the path 12 once in the cyclical repetitive fashion, a playing piece will either land on or pass location 14, designated Airport. In the preferred embodiment, the rules of the game apparatus of the present invention then indicate that a player collects an amount of $200 from the bank.

Similarly, a playing piece 92 may land on location 32, designated Top of the Strip. If this location is landed upon, an amount of money, designated 98 in FIG. 1, is collected from the Las Vegas space designated 62 in FIG. 1. The bank then replenishes the amount of money at space 62.

A playing piece 92 may also land on location 16, designated Vigorish, where the preferred rules indicate that the player must pay to the bank ten percent of the cost of the most expensive hotel possessed by the player.

A playing piece 92 may also land upon location 34, designated Income Tax, whereupon the player must pay to the bank ten percent of all money in his possession, exclusive of the value of his owned properties.

A playing piece 92 may also land upon location 41, designated Go To Jail, whereupon this playing piece is moved to location 23, designated Jail, while accruing the benefits attendant upon passing location 14. While at location 23, the player cannot buy property, receive any amounts from other players landing on his restaurants or hotels, and the pass and dont pass cards applicable to his hotels are no longer in effect. He is, in effect, excluded from the game while on location 23. In order to remove a playing piece 92 from the location 23, except upon casually landing upon location 23 when traversing the path 12, a player must shoot craps, i.e., obtain a total of seven or eleven on the first roll of dice 52, or he must make two straight passes, with one pass being accomplished if a number other than seven or eleven appears on the first roll of the dice. The player continues to roll the dice attempting to again obtain the number first rolled before a seven is rolled. As is conventional in the game of craps, if a player first rolls a 2, 3, or 12, he then immediately loses.

A player may attempt to extract himself from jail location 23 each time it is his turn, in rotation, to roll the dice to advance his playing piece 92. Ultimately, if unsuccessful at otherwise extracting himself, he can pay the bank the amount of $500 and move as normally.

Another manner of being forced to move a playing piece 92 to jail location 23 is to land at a dont pass location, such as dont pass location 20 or 37. Upon landing at either of these locations, a player selects the top card from the dont pass cards 66 and pays money or moves his playing piece 92 as indicated on the dont pass card. It is to be noted that one of the dont pass cards 66 requires the player to move his playing piece 92 to jail location 23.

All monies indicated to be paid by the dont pass cards, as in the legends indicated above, are to be paid to the hotel owner or placed upon location 62 of board 10 to be won by the next player landing upon space 62, Top of the Strip. That is, for example, one legend of the dont pass cards 66 directs a player YOUR BILL AT THE CONGO ROOM IS $125. GO TO THE SA- HARA AND PAY IT!" A player would then move his playing piece 92 to location 25 and pay the owner of location 25 $125. If no specific location is indicated on the dont pass card 66, for example the card with the legend YOURE CALLED HOME ON BUSINESS YOUR PLANE TICKET COSTS $150 PAY lTl," the monies are deposited at location 62.

Similarly, a player may land on pass location 30 or 43 and must select a pass card 64, receive the benefit thereof, and move his playing piece 92 if so directed. Similarly to the case of the directions on the dont pass cards 66 above, all monies indicated on a pass card 64 are paid by the hotel owner or by the bank, depending upon the legends appearing upon the card, as indicated above.

If the selection of either a pass card 64 or dont pass card 66 causes a player to move his playing piece 92 past location 14, he does not collect the normal monies for so passing.

The rules of betting used when a player lands on a particular hotel may now be explained. If the hotel is not owned, i.e., the title card 102 is not in the possession of another player, and the landing player does not desire to buy the hotel, he must gamble with the bank for landing rights. If a player decides to gamble, he must bet within the minimum and maximum limits indicated upon each of the title cards 102 and upon a similar location upon each of the locations 14-49. For example, a player landing upon location 15 would bet between $50 and $500 as indicated at on title card 104 in FIG. 2.

A player then chooses the particular gambling apparatus desired by him, i.e., dice 52 to play craps, roulette apparatus 54 to play roulette, or cards 60 to play blackjack. Each of these games is then played according to the conventional rules of the game, and when playing with the bank, the player gambles at even odds, i.e., one dollar bet is paid and returned at one dollar.

If a particular hotel is owned by another player, the hotel owner decides the amount the landing player must bet. The landing player then chooses the particular chance apparatus, i.e., blackjack, craps, or roulette, as indicated above, and plays the particular game. If the landing player loses to an owning player, the odds are 2 to 1 against him, i.e., he must pay the owning player two dollars for every one dollar bet.

Further, a player must have sufficient money before he gambles to pay any bet made. That is, if betting with an owner, he must have an amount in money sufficient to pay twice the amount of the bet, if he loses. If a landing player has insufficient money, he must sell his property before playing. The bank will pay one-half the cost of his property, and the remaining players in the game have the option of bidding against each other for the property, beginning at an amount one-half the value of the property. The property is then sold to the highest bidder, and a player must continue to sell property until he has sufficient money to cover any bet he is forced to make.

If a landing player has sold all of his property and yet does not have sufficient monies to meet the amount required, he must bet an amount which would allow him to meet his obligation if he loses, i.e., one-half of the monies he has if he is gambling against a property owner and the entire amount he has left if he is gambling against the bank. Also, if a landing player does not have sufficient monies to meet his obligation to a restaurant location owner, or any other type of nonbetting loss, he must pay one-half of the monies he has. This means that a player can only lose all of his money by gambling.

Similarly, the owner of a particular location must have sufficient monies to cover any minimum bet which may be made by a landing player. In the case of roulette where the odds may be as high as 35 to l, the possessor ofa particular location need not have monies sufficient to cover all of the potential winning amount.

If a landing player wins and the possessor of the property does not have sufficient money to pay the landing player, the possessor must give the landing player all of the property owned by the possessor and retain only an amount up to $500.

If a possessor of a particular location does not have sufficient monies to cover a minimum bet and holds no other property, he must sell to the bank the property upon which the other player has landed, and the landing player proceeds to play against the bank as indicated.

Now that the basic teachings, and some of the extensions and variations, of the present invention have been explained, many further extensions and variations will be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art. For example, no limitation to the number of locations comprising path 12 is intended. More or fewer locations may be used.

Also, various further types of possessory or reward/penalty spaces will be envisioned by those skilled in the art.

Additionally, various other, more, or fewer, chance taking apparatus may be employed in the present invention.

Further, no limitation to the precise names of the cations is intended. Other locations representing gambling establishments or other possessory objects may be used in place of the hotels and restaurants indicated.

Furthermore, no limitation to the precise representation of the game board of the present invention is intended. The game board of FIG. 1 is deemed preferred for aesthetic purposes, however, many other aesthetic representations could be used.

Thus, since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. Game board apparatus, comprising in combination: a game board having marked locations constituting a path of progression about the board, with at least some of the locations being possessory locations and at least some of the locations being nonpossessory, reward/penalty locations; means for indicating ownership of the possessory locations; means for determining the reward/penalty of the reward/penalty locations; at least two playing pieces with one playing piece being associated with each player of the game; chance taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece of each player along the path of progression on the board, at least a portion of the possessory locations comprising betting possessory locations, at least one additional different known chance taking apparatus, one of said chance taking apparatus being selectable by a player Whose playing piece comes to rest on a betting possessory location possessed by an opposing player for determining an occupancy payment due said opposing player by betting prior to movement from the betting possessory location in a game of chance using only said one selected chance taking apparatus; means for indicating a minimum and maximum bet required for determining said occupancy payments due to an owner of a betting possessory location; and a medium of payment for satisfying certain obligations or benefits from the means for determining the reward/penalty and for satisfying occupancy payments for possessory locations.

2. The game board apparatus of claim l,'wherein some of the possessory locations comprise nonbetting locations including means for indicating a fixed amount for occupancy payments due when a playing piece comes to rest thereon.

3. The game board apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the game board is generally square in configuration; the path of progression is arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and reward/penalty cards; each side of the path of progression includes several betting possessory locations, at least one nonbetting possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty location; and wherein the four locations in the corners of the board are reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and well intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.

4. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for determining the reward/penalty of the reward/penalty locations comp rises cards.

5. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the game board is generally square in configuration; the path of progression is arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and the means for determining the reward/penalty; each side of the path of progression includes several betting possessory locations, at least one nonbetting possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty location; and wherein the four locations in the corners of the board are reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and well intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.

6. Game board apparatus comprising in combination; a game board having marked locations constituting a path of progression on the board, with at least some of the locations being possessory locations including betting possessory locations, and at least some of said locations being nonpossessory reward/penalty locations; at least two playing pieces with one playing piece being associated with and movable to represent each player of the game; means for indicating ownership of the pos sessory locations whereby individual players may own said possessory locations; means for determining the reward due a player landing in some of said reward/penalty locations; separate means for determining the penalty imposed upon a player landing in some of said reward/penalty locations; chance taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece representing each player along the path of progression on the board and for determining occupancy payments due to the player holding means for indicating ownership of a betting possessory location from a different player landing on that possessory location by betting sessory locations; a medium of payment for satisfying occupancy payments and for satisfying at least some rewards to and some penalties imposed upon players landing in some of the respective reward/penalty locations; the means for indicating penalties imposed upon a player for landing on at least one of said reward/penalty locations including several different possible penalties at the one location, at least one of said penalties comprising paying an amount of said medium of payment into a reward fund, and at least one of said reward/penalty locations including means to entitle a player landing thereon to collect said reward fund.

7. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for determining the reward due in at least some reward/penalty loctions comprise a plurality of cards each including a different reward, and said separate means for determining the penalty imposed in at least some of said reward/penalty locations include cards having different penalties thereon.

8. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein some of the different possible penalties at said one location include penalties involving movement to possessory locations on said game board. 

1. Game board apparatus, comprising in combination: a game board having marked locations constituting a path of progression about the board, with at least some of the locations being possessory locations and at least some of the locations being nonpossessory, reward/penalty locations; means for indicating ownership of the possessory locations; means for determining the reward/penalty of the reward/penalty locations; at least two playing pieces with one playing piece being associated with each player of the game; chance taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece of each player along the path of progression on the board, at least a portion of the possessory locations comprising betting possessory locations, at least one additional different known chance taking apparatus, one of said chance taking apparatus being selectable by a player whose playing piece comes to rest on a betting possessory location possessed by an opposing player for determining an occupancy payment due said opposing player by betting prior to movement from the betting possessory locatIon in a game of chance using only said one selected chance taking apparatus; means for indicating a minimum and maximum bet required for determining said occupancy payments due to an owner of a betting possessory location; and a medium of payment for satisfying certain obligations or benefits from the means for determining the reward/penalty and for satisfying occupancy payments for possessory locations.
 2. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein some of the possessory locations comprise nonbetting locations including means for indicating a fixed amount for occupancy payments due when a playing piece comes to rest thereon.
 3. The game board apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the game board is generally square in configuration; the path of progression is arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and reward/penalty cards; each side of the path of progression includes several betting possessory locations, at least one nonbetting possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty location; and wherein the four locations in the corners of the board are reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and well intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.
 4. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for determining the reward/penalty of the reward/penalty locations comprises cards.
 5. The game board apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the game board is generally square in configuration; the path of progression is arranged about the periphery of the board to form a generally square closed figure of four sides with a particular location in each of the corners of the square thereby defining a space within the square for placement of the chance taking apparatus and the means for determining the reward/penalty; each side of the path of progression includes several betting possessory locations, at least one nonbetting possessory location, and at least one reward/penalty location; and wherein the four locations in the corners of the board are reward/penalty locations to thereby allow a variety and well intermingled arrangement of locations about the board.
 6. Game board apparatus comprising in combination; a game board having marked locations constituting a path of progression on the board, with at least some of the locations being possessory locations including betting possessory locations, and at least some of said locations being nonpossessory reward/penalty locations; at least two playing pieces with one playing piece being associated with and movable to represent each player of the game; means for indicating ownership of the possessory locations whereby individual players may own said possessory locations; means for determining the reward due a player landing in some of said reward/penalty locations; separate means for determining the penalty imposed upon a player landing in some of said reward/penalty locations; chance taking apparatus for determining the movement of the playing piece representing each player along the path of progression on the board and for determining occupancy payments due to the player holding means for indicating ownership of a betting possessory location from a different player landing on that possessory location by betting and playing a known game of chance with said chance taking apparatus means for indicating fixed maximum and minimum bets in each of said betting possessory locations to provide different worth to the betting possessory locations; a medium of payment for satisfying occupancy payments and for satisfying at least some rewards to and some penalties imposed upon players landing in some of the respective reward/penalty locations; the means for indicating penalties imposed upon a player for landing on at least one of said reward/penalty locations including several different possible penaltiEs at the one location, at least one of said penalties comprising paying an amount of said medium of payment into a reward fund, and at least one of said reward/penalty locations including means to entitle a player landing thereon to collect said reward fund.
 7. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for determining the reward due in at least some reward/penalty loctions comprise a plurality of cards each including a different reward, and said separate means for determining the penalty imposed in at least some of said reward/penalty locations include cards having different penalties thereon.
 8. The game board apparatus of claim 6 wherein some of the different possible penalties at said one location include penalties involving movement to possessory locations on said game board. 